Northern talent to lead Alianait Festival as new co-executive directors

The Alianait Arts Festival has announced Jaqqa Petersen and Andrew Morrison as the event’s new co-executive directors.

The move comes after Alannah Johnston stepped down after five years at the helm, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Alianait.

Petersen, a multi-instrumentalist from Greenland, has performed with artists from Greenland and Nunavut and has been part of the music scene since childhood.

Morrison, a musician from Iqaluit, is best known as frontman for the Juno-nominated band The Jerry Cans. He launched a new music project, Echoes Of… last year, collaborating with artists including Northern Haze’s James Ungalaq, Terry Uyarak and Ivaana.

“Together, we’re excited to steer the festival towards a vibrant future that honours Inuit culture and expands our community outreach,” Petersen and Morrison said in a statement.

Their goals include developing Inuit technical and festival administrative training programs, supporting festival networks across Nunavut, and working with the board to establish a long-term strategic plan.

Johnston, who became Alianait’s first Inuk executive director in July 2020, helped increase the number of Inuit and Indigenous performers in the festival’s lineup, the release said.

She also guided the festival through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic which forced the cancellation of in-person events.

The festival is preparing for its 21st edition in Iqaluit in late June this year.

While the official dates have yet to be announced, applications for northern artists to perform at this year’s festival closed Jan. 15.